This article contains spoilers for Imperfect Women Episode 4
Imperfect Women Episode Four arrives on Apple TV on April 1 with “Nancy”, an installment that finally shifts focus to its central character. Where previous episodes circled her from a distance, allowing those closest to her to spin the narrative, this week the series moves inward, delving into the past and the façade she works so hard to maintain.
Nancy’s (Kate Mara) history has been alluded to in earlier episodes, and here Imperfect Women at long last unpacks it. As a child, she dreamed she could fly, escaping into the mountains and into another life. In many ways, that dream comes true through her marriage to Robert (Joel Kinnaman), whose wealth and status pull her into a world far removed from where she began. It’s an ascent built on illusion; one that the episode gradually strips of joy.
That illusion finds its clearest expression in Nancy’s annual New Year’s parties. Over 18 years, she refines them into something resembling perfection. The episode frames the party we see as her last, though Mara’s voiceover shares she had no way of knowing it. To understand how she arrives at this point, the narrative moves between past and present, contrasting the early days of her marriage, when Robert’s love felt expansive, with the colder reality that follows nearly two decades later.
At the party itself, Nancy moves through the space with authority, correcting a staff member who has set up in the wrong place. He directs her to the event coordinator, unaware of who she is. She introduces herself as Nancy; he introduces himself as David. The episode later reveals he is not the David she has been having an affair with, reinforcing the sense that Nancy’s life is built on layers of deception.
Her relationships with Mary (Elisabeth Moss) and Eleanor (Kerry Washington) offer a different perspective. When Mary reveals that Howard’s (Corey Stoll) hours have been cut again, Nancy immediately offers financial help, only for Mary to refuse. Nancy’s voiceover describes Mary as someone who believes in the church of eternal optimism, particularly when it comes to her family. She admires that quality and even relies on it. Mary represents a version of motherhood Nancy has never achieved.
That failure becomes more pronounced in her relationship with Cora (Audrey Zahn). Earlier episodes establish the distance between them, but here it becomes a focus point. Cora refuses to attend the party, dismissing it as something no one cares about except Nancy. She points out that Nancy has barely spoken to her since she returned home from school, choosing instead to focus on the event. Nancy insists she will make time after the party, a promise that rings hollow. The scene captures the central tension in Nancy’s character, her need to maintain appearances at the expense of genuine connection.
Nancy remains acutely aware of her place within Robert’s world. She never quite sheds the feeling of being an outsider in the house she now inhabits. Cora, by contrast, moves through it with ease, a “native” in a world Nancy still struggles to claim. That insecurity extends to her marriage. When Nancy questions Robert about their finances, referencing his father’s concerns, he dismisses it, assuring her everything is fine. However, the reassurance does little to mask the underlying strain.
The episode’s most significant revelation comes through its exploration of Nancy’s childhood. It confirms that her stepfather sexually abused her, and the violence in her upbringing is both explicit and unavoidable. It’s a stark contrast to the dynamics within Robert’s family, where control functions through social pressure. The distinction shows how both environments shape Nancy in different ways, stifling someone desperate to be free.
David’s presence at the party offers a moment of recognition. Their conversation reveals shared connections to Nancy’s past, though they’re places she has deliberately avoided. When he asks when she last went back to the area they grew up in, she admits she hasn’t. She fears returning would force her to confront the possibility that she has not changed at all. It’s one of the episode’s more direct acknowledgements of the tension between who Nancy was and who she is trying to be.
Elsewhere, the fractures in her carefully constructed life continue to show. Kit (Jill Wagner) openly dislikes Nancy, accusing her of being transactional in everything she does. Robert’s father raises concerns about their spending, though he admits he enjoys her parties. Even here, Nancy finds herself caught between expectation and judgement, valued for what she provides but never fully accepted.
The conflict with Cora escalates later in the episode. When Cora prepares to attend a “white trash” party, Nancy objects, calling it out as offensive. Cora pushes back, accusing Nancy of hypocrisy, pointing to the excess of her lifestyle and the performative nature of her social circle. Nancy responds by slapping her, insisting she has no idea who she is.
“Nancy” then returns to her childhood, depicting a traumatic incident with her mother. During a car ride, her mother lashes out, accusing her of deceit before driving recklessly and crashing. The scene explains the scars Nancy carries, both physical and emotional.
Mary and Eleanor intervene as Nancy begins to spiral, convinced she is becoming her mother. They remind her that her mother tried to kill her. They won’t take her back, but if Nancy chooses to return to the party, she won’t go alone. These scenes, centred on the three women, provide a rare warmth within an otherwise tense episode. Mara, Moss, and Washington work seamlessly together, creating a trio whose connection feels entirely convincing, even with limited shared screentime due to the whodunit plot.
Nancy attempts to repair things with Cora, apologising and insisting she was not herself. Robert intervenes, guiding her away and warning that Cora will remember this moment for the rest of her life. His response feels controlling, particularly given that Cora later asks Eleanor to stay with them, fearful of being alone with her father after Nancy’s body is found.
David reappears briefly, offering his card and suggesting they meet for a drink. Nancy declines, apologising for giving him the wrong impression. The episode closes on an unsettling note. Nancy finds her stepfather on social media, a reminder that the past she has tried to outrun remains within reach. It ties back to the opening idea: Nancy cannot escape her past any more than she could will herself to fly.
“Nancy” marks a turning point for Imperfect Women as the series deepens its exploration of identity, trauma, and the cost of reinvention. It is an uncomfortable watch at times, but a necessary one, led by the excellent performance Kate Mara delivers.
